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The Final Word. These Are Really the Best EVER!Mar 14 '01 (Updated Mar 28 '01) Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line These are my personal 10 favorite films from over the years. Plus some honorable mentions..... These Top 10 categories crack me up. How can I list my own favorite movies and proclaim them to be the Top 10 Ever??? I mean, they are, of course, the best movies ever, because I'm always right, but I'm sure quite a few of you might dare to disagree! Disagree if you will, but here are my picks for Top 10 Movies. I guess I should really say that these have been some of my favorite movies over the years, though I'm sure if I thought long enough, I'd come up with a completely different list. All I know is, if I ran across any of these movies on cable, I wouldn't be able to turn the channel! (Please excuse the somewhat embarrassing factor that most of these seem to be "chick flicks." I'm a chick, so sue me.) Drumroll, please...... Shakespeare in Love The seamless blending of elements and lines from Shakespeare's writing with fictional accounts of his life.... it's sheer genius. It is at times laugh-out-loud funny, but I have seen this movie about 10 times by now and never have been able to get through it without crying (sobbing, actually.) The performances by Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes and Geoffrey Rush are near flawless, and Judi Dench and Colin Firth are hilarious in their supporting roles. This movie deserved its Oscar. My Best Friend's Wedding In theory, this is basically nothing more than another sappy, light-hearted contemporary romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts. But what sets this movie apart is that, while it does contain some elements of the surreal, the relationships it depicts are actually grounded in reality. You won't necessarily find a happy ending here, which is how real life works out a good deal of the time. While My Best Friend's Wedding may not be as tragic as, say, Shakespeare in Love, it still has the power to make you cry if you watch it in a particularly lonely, self-pitying mood. Aliens The classic sci-fi movie. A sequel to Alien, this is a bit slicker than its predecessor. A little more graphic, maybe, a little bigger-budget, but just as terrifyingly suspenseful, if not more so. You will sit on the edge of your seat with every step Sigourney Weaver takes as she tries to escape the alien-infested ship, wondering whether or not she will encounter an alien-- and her doom-- behind every corner. Not to be watched alone. Pretty in Pink Molly Ringwald and John Hughes got me through my teenage years. Here, Molly is the poor, cool chick who falls for rich boy Andrew McCarthy. Along the way she breaks the heart of her childhood friend Ducky, played by Jon Cryer. (Personally, if I had to choose between Andrew McCarthy and Jon Cryer, I would have chosen Jon Cryer. Then again, I'd be grateful to have such a choice to make in the first place!) A classic story. Funny, smart, heartbreakingly true. Sniff sniff. Thanks John Hughes! Grosse Pointe Blank I had to put a John Cusack movie on my list. I just had to! So I went with this one because it's hysterical, surreal, cynical, smart... and it has a kickin' soundtrack!! (And, oh yeah, did I mention John Cusack????) Pulp Fiction This is probably the best thing Quentin Tarantino has ever done... or ever will do, for that matter. Pulp Fiction single-handedly created a new genre of movies. Movies with excessive gross-you-out violence, completely separate yet totally entwined storylines, eccentric bad guys as heroes.... vintage Tarantino. A highly entertaining movie! Sneakers This is an extremely under-appreciated yet highly rated high-tech thriller which came out in the early 90s. I think it was kind of a "sleeper" hit, but I can still watch it over and over and over. Featuring the stellar cast of Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, River Phoenix, Dan Aykroyd, Mary McDonnell, and Ben Kingsley, you know it's got to be good! Redford leads a gang of professional "spies" whose somewhat sketchy pasts catch up with them. Suddenly they find themselves having to pull off the biggest scheme of their lives to save themselves. The plot is sort of convoluted, but it's surprisingly funny, suspenseful, and highly enjoyable. I LOVE IT!!! If you enjoyed the seemingly impossible capers in The Thomas Crown Affair, you'll love this, too. Sense and Sensibility Emma Thompson's screenplay of Jane Austen's classic novel maintains the original's wit and timelessness. Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet are excellent as two sisters who must marry for money, yet who do not possess enough money to be "marriagable." Hugh Grant is perfect as Thompson's clumsy suitor, and, as with any of Jane Austen's stories, there are plenty of memorable secondary characters who make this movie worth watching. My only complaint is that Alan Rickman seems a tad miscast, and lost, as the sensitive and noble Colonel Brandon. Star Wars How could I not????? Romancing the Stone A bit of romance, a bit of adventure. Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas at their prime. What more could you want? Sure, this is a silly movie with silly villains (how scary is Danny DeVito? I mean, come on!) However, it's a classic "lost in the jungle" adventure movie and it's a great ride! Honorable Mentions Trainspotting Total Recall (No, really. I love this movie!) Stand By Me Gone With the Wind The Breakfast Club Immortal Beloved Emma Sliding Doors Ghostbusters (Again, really!) 9 to 5 The Age of Innocence The Princess Bride  |
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